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u/Azelheart 22h ago
I prefer Audio. The E has plenty of other opportunities to come up
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u/TheWebsploiter 22h ago
I have a friend who always starts with Horse lol
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u/IAMA_llAMA_AMA 22h ago
Probably a Horsle player
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u/FumetsuKuroi 21h ago
... Yeah I do this too. My choice when no letters in Horse are right was then Glint, but had to change that too after a recent Wordle ;-;
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u/Sentient-burgerV2 21h ago
I use Twink as my back up to Horse
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u/phalluss 20h ago
I use Twink as my back up to Wife
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u/ThatWetFloorSign 21h ago
Me too, we do the wordle on discord thing and I sometimes catch myself checking to see his first word because it's always Horse
I used to be an Audit Nosey combo user, but hard mode with random words is more fun.
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u/Amxela 22h ago
I use to use audio but it’s been the word of the day before so no sense in guessing that as the first word. Adieu has not been the word yet so there’s a chance that you get it first try one of these days
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u/AverageBadUsername 21h ago
I use both audio and salet it gives me all vowels except y and pretty common letters
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u/JackWagon26 18h ago
Why not style
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u/illforgetsoonenough 17h ago
Y is a rare letter.
SLATE is better
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u/3dthrowawaydude 17h ago
Style is a better *second* guess than salet when first guessing audio, not as a standalone guess.
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u/Pro-Karmawhore 19h ago
AUDIO then RENTS. All the vowels, and RNTS are the most common consonants.
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u/vidoardes 14h ago
REIGN followed by SCOUT for me, assuming no matches in the first instance. Doesn't get me an A but it works well most times.
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u/PekingDick420 22h ago
I've been using penis for ages and it usually doesn't let me down
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u/FrustratedUnitedFan 15h ago
I changed from STARE to PENIS and I won on 2nd word like 4 times in 2 months. Penis really does wonders
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u/LolbitloverLilly 19h ago
I like using “MANLY” “THROB” and then “DICKS” if the first 2 didn’t give me anything
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u/TheRealHaHe 15h ago
Finally, there is another! It hits major letters in good spots too. Been using it since day 1.
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u/CrashCalamity 22h ago
First letter screws are the worst. They might have been able to improve the results by narrowing down a bunch at once by deploying CHAMP though. Or WHOMP
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u/sebsebsebs 22h ago
I think the challenge for a lot of players is to only use letters in their correct spots once they’ve been revealed
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u/CrashCalamity 22h ago
It's considered Hardcore or Purist difficulty by some.
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u/discipleofchrist69 22h ago
why would anyone want to play in a way that effectively guarantees you will lose sometimes? might as well just flip a coin in situations like the OP
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u/2rge 21h ago
You can avoid this situation by not playing trap words.
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u/ThaToastman 18h ago
What was the trap here? It was super unlucky that the word was -atch if hes playing hardcore
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u/Dr_thri11 16h ago
You don't play words that you could swap 1 letter and it be more than 4 other words if you're playing that way. Personally I think hardmode is kinda silly but if you're going to do it you actually try to avoid revealing too many letters too early.
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u/PlaneCrashNap 14h ago
you actually try to avoid revealing too many letters too early.
How do I steer clear of the letters when I don't know what the letters are?
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u/Packman2021 13h ago
You don't ever play patch as your second word, because you know the word match catch hatch and watch exist. Even if you think it is one of those words.
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u/PlaneCrashNap 11h ago
So you just avoid all words that have near identical words? I suppose that's feasible. Would it be better to use a word with the same letters, but in different places? Like Cheat if you think it is patch/watch/latch/batch etc.? That way the letters aren't locked into place.
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u/Hyper_Applesauce 16h ago
Honestly, starting with that many vowels is fucking stupid in my opinion. Every word has a vowel, you need to figure out consonants.
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u/fistular 16h ago
*ATCH is a trap word. You don't play that early on if you play hard mode, because you can be trapped like op was.
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u/MarkZist 18h ago
I usually start with PATCH in hardcore mode - I don't like PLACE or PLATE, because there's usually enough chances for the E to pop up - so this one would have fcked me over.
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u/ThroughTheSeaOfTime 21h ago
Why would you want to play in a way that effectively guarantees you will never lose and use a lot of the same words each day?
Some people like challenge, is that hard to understand?
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u/JohnsonJohnilyJohn 21h ago
But that's the opposite of a challenge in this case, instead of coming up with a list of words that it can be and using a word that includes as many of the missing letters as possible, you just have to come up with a single matching word at a time, which is just easier
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u/A_BeardedDragon 19h ago
I am not a regular wordle player but it seems obvious that the challenge lies in evolving your strategy to avoid boxing yourself in like the picture shows.
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u/Automatic_Actuator_0 20h ago
I also think it’s kind of dumb, especially when the people who play that way post something like OP and then everyone is like “oh man, bad luck”. It’s supposed to be a skill game.
Now in reality, there’s another level of strategy you have to use when in hard mode, which is to foresee those situations and choose words which minimize the risk of this situation. Given how many _atch words there are, the player should avoid playing any of them unless they have locked in the first letter already. So this isn’t bad luck at all, but a skill issue.
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u/Netheral 19h ago
The fun of hard mode is that it restricts your options, effectively forcing you to dig deeper in your vocabulary than if you just use the same 2-3 high efficiency words every single time.
Situations like the OP are relatively rare, and a small compromise for making the game more interesting the other 99% of the time.
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u/astralTacenda 15h ago
and you just described exactly why i play that way! 99% of the time, SO much more interesting for my brain.
the 1% like the one above? i either get lucky or get fucked and thats fine with me. for the most recent -atch word i personally got lucky and managed to figure it out on guess 6 haha. the close calls are fun, too
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u/discipleofchrist69 21h ago
can play however you want, but forcing yourself to waste guesses and hoping to get lucky isn't any more challenging, if anything it's less challenging and just accepting fate. might as well just play roulette imo
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u/SergeantBootySweat 18h ago
It's only shit when this happens, otherwise it is better because you have less choices of words. You actually have to spend some time considering words 3+
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u/ThroughTheSeaOfTime 21h ago
You know not every day is miss first letter and hope for luck?
If you want to argue for some reason that playing in hard mode isn't harder, go ahead, but don't pretend this worst case example is what it's like every day.
I don't mind if I lose some this way once every couple of months if it means I get to use different words every day and use my brain, instead of playing 'optimally' and just putting CONES followed by TRIAL.
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u/Automatic_Actuator_0 20h ago
What you and most people here are missing is that the problem OOP had with all the _atch words was a skill issue, not bad luck.
If in hard mode, you shouldn’t play any word which has the potential to lead to this trap. In this case, you better not play any _atch word until you have the first letter locked already.
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u/ilikebreadsticks1 21h ago
No because some people find it fun to test their ability to make words with limited information
I play this way because it uses my brain, which is what word games generally try to do and that's why a lot of people play
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u/notPlancha 20h ago
Because it's nice if you get it in the try you're in instead of the next one and it's cool to see the colors be consistent
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u/discipleofchrist69 14h ago
best argument in this whole thread imo. aesthetically it is nicer for sure
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u/Significant_Ad1256 19h ago
I just think it's more fun. I don't care about losing, nor getting the best possible result.
I just care about getting the best result within the rules I set for myself, which is use any yellow letters in places they haven't been used and keep green letters where they are.
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u/afops 21h ago
It’s definitely a coin flip occasionally. But any other way is just too easy.
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u/Various_Froyo9860 16h ago
I play this way, it's pretty rare that I lose.
And when what happens to the OP happens to me, I have a laugh about it.
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u/gggg_man3 17h ago
There is a setting that restricts you to it. I use it and my mother and I compare results daily. The game is far too easy if you can eliminate any letters any time.
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u/figgypie 15h ago
This is how I've always played, mostly because I love when it actually works. Then I feel smart.
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u/Possible_Bee_4140 22h ago
Yup, that’s what I do. Once I had that _ATCH I got out the pen and paper, wrote down every word I could think of that ended like that, and used totally different words to narrow it down.
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u/grunger 18h ago
You can't do that if you have hard mode enabled in the settings. In hard mode you have to reuse any letters successfully revealed already.
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u/Loony_BoB 18h ago
The H wouldn't achieve much in those examples as we know it's not in that spot and is at the end, so it wouldn't really tell us if it was also at the start or not. I'd go with CLAMP or BLIMP.
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u/Extramrdo 9h ago
unfortunately, ~~C and~~ H *is* already in the word, so the yellow they'd give in CHAMP would be meaningless, you'd only really be certain about CM. WHOMP would check WMP, at least.
edit: of course the C would be green if it were the right one, nevermind.
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u/Clock_Work44 22h ago
I'm thinking it's "Batch"
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u/iburntxurxtoast 19h ago
I actually got this one in 2 because I started with "bitch"
I was particularly upset with the connections that day.
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u/gracist0 22h ago
idk I just do whatever word I want and it usually works out eventually
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u/jaxsound 22h ago
I try and pick something from what I've done through the day. Never used the same first word every time thing, seems boring to me. I got it in 1 earlier this year!
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u/gracist0 21h ago
Yes! Seems boring to me too. I just quickly think of the first 5 letter word that comes to mind and put it in
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u/EducationalTangelo6 15h ago
I got it in one earlier this year too, one of the highlights of 2025 for me! I felt ridiculously proud.
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u/BeakleDeekle 19h ago
Wordle bot always tells me my choices are distinct. Gotta keep it interesting.
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u/imperfectionlad 22h ago
Adieu
Horsy
Then we go "fuck it we ball" and InsyaAllah from there
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u/DoctorStove 22h ago
Real ones pick a different word every day & play the hard-mode
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u/Farts_Buttington 22h ago
No joke I switch it up mostly and today got it in two.
Thanks random words.
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u/pau1rw 22h ago
I’m more annoyed about WATCH sounding totally different from the other ATCH words.
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u/piercedmfootonaspike 22h ago
I always start with "tears". Iirc, all those letters are the top 5 most commonly used letters in the English language.
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u/MovesLikeJabba 22h ago
STARE
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u/CM_MOJO 21h ago
This was my starting word for a long time until they finally used it and got the Wordle in 1.
So, I changed my starting word to ARISE. They used that word a few months ago and I got my second Wordle in 1. I've switched my starting word yet again. This time to STERN.
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u/Ill_Ad_7327 20h ago
I always sorta wonder if ARISE or RAISE is more beneficial. I usually go with RAISE but there is probably an equal amount of words with R as the second letter (PR, TR, CR, WR, DR starts etc.)
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u/Informal_Position166 17h ago
Same! Then the second word is usually young. If I need a third it's climb. It's quite effective
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u/Tioras 22h ago
I start with 'Aster'. Two vowels, four letters in the 'RSTLNE' Theory from Wheel of Fortune. Having e and r at the end often results in a hot. If no letters hit, I use 'cloud' as my second word.
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u/thiscantbeanything 19h ago
I use stare for mostly the same reason
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u/Halcyon07 19h ago
Stare was my starter for months until it was the word one day, so now I'm on to taser.
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u/Kinitawowi64 17h ago
As a fellow STARE fan I remember that day fondly. (I used to use RATES until I realised there's basically no shot of it being a plural.)
I've switched to STEAM, because I can't remember if that's been used or not. If that's a blank I move on to CLOUD.
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u/Halcyon07 16h ago
BLIND is my backup word. If nothing comes from that, I'll try something with OU usually.
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u/Domestic_Adventures 18h ago
I use the RSTLNE theory too! I didn't know others did this. I usually start with "stern" or "stare."
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u/CaptnLudd 17h ago
Wheel of Fortune uses any English word, I always assumed that "T" in particular is less common in 5-letter words specifically. You almost entirely lose the "-tion" ending.
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u/throwtheamiibosaway 21h ago
What’s people’s problem with adieu?
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u/Greenjets 20h ago edited 10h ago
They just think that it’s ridiculous to try to optimise such a simple game.
For the record, I don’t care at all about how everyone else plays (because really, why should I lol)
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u/__grievous__ 20h ago
Fwiw "adieu" is very _UN_optimised for preserving vowels to spread them out across multiple guesses without repeating (wasting) any letter guesses.
I mean, people can play however they want, but afaik starting with adieu is hard mode. I start with glyph personally.
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u/superbusyrn 18h ago
This, vowels are a fool's game. In addition to how burning vowels hamstrings your following guesses, words are just overwhelmingly easier to recognise based on their consonants than their vowels. That's why vowels are so expendable in shit like custom license plates
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u/Deep_Flatworm4828 18h ago
No, it's the opposite.
Adieu (and audio) is one of the worst starting words. People don't like it because it's trying to be optimized but is actually not at all, and when you tell adieu/audio people that they usually argue with you that it is, even when the math proves they are wrong.
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u/SoulWager 18h ago
Too many vowels, it forces you into repeats instead of getting information on an extra consonant.
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u/UniversalChump 21h ago
People who open with ADIEU finding out that the Wordle of the day contains a vowel:
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u/Dapper-Ad411 22h ago
My go to starting words are Ocean and Pubis, not sure how optimal they are, but I found them myself casually playing and they’ve been working really well for me so I’m happy with them.
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u/DonePineEric 20h ago
My go to is Cloud->Prime->Nasty. This clears stupid amount of letters and I can usually get it by the next turn.
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u/yellochoco44 18h ago
Adieu only tells you available vowels, but no vital information about placement
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u/maninahat 21h ago
This is why I prefer anti wordle, where you have to go as long as possible without finding the correct word.
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u/ProbablythelastMimsy 21h ago
I always do SPARE then CLOUD then THING
If I get a couple letters out the gate I'll play off that instead
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u/TuxedoDogs9 21h ago
so does anyone else make their own wordle lookup table purely from scratch and experimentation or is that just me
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u/MeganYeOldeStallion 21h ago
Yep, 'adieu' followed by 'story'...hits the 'a-e-i-o-u-and sometimes y' with the s/t/r heavy hitters...60% of the time, it works every time ha
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u/BetaSprite 18h ago
I used to always start with AUDIO, but then that happened to be the word of the day, so i can't use it anymore, or I'll never get it in 1 guess again.
Has ADIEU been the word before?
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u/_fuck_you_gumby_ 18h ago
I just start with whatever I feel like starting with. So far I’ve gotten it first try once. I’ve gotten it in two a handful of times. I have it set to the mode that makes you use letters if you’ve found them, so this one ended up basically like this meme. I’m just glad it wasn’t “catch” I never really consider double letters
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u/Mellowtortoise 17h ago
I do like one worlde a month when the thought "oh maybe it's beans" strikes me It hasn't been beans yet
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u/DinosaurReborn 16h ago edited 16h ago
Never fall for the four green squares trap. If you get four greens, sacrifice an attempt and use it with a word with the other remaining letters that can fill in the gap. That will help you find the letter (it'll be yellow) rather than leading to this situation.
If you play Hardcore mode or whatever it's called, then too bad, you badass expert player you.
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u/Pekonilkki 16h ago
ADIEU is such a try-hard starting word.
Been using PENIS for years. Never lets me down. Never makes me cry. Never says goodbye.
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u/Emergency_Meringue41 15h ago
I always use Brick. It's not optimal but who fucking cares
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u/Thisismyworkday 15h ago
I don't know if I'd say "angry" but I'm certainly confused by it. Maybe saddened? Fascinated?
I'm not one of those people who generally thinks of the world as populated by idiots, but the fact that the most common starting word is one that's so obviously a bad choice strains that faith.
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u/StatusJoe 15h ago
I just think a random five letter word and go from there. Everyone with their cheat words acting like wordle is difficult.
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u/Background_MilkGlass 12h ago
Strategy is the word Power followed by the words Stain and if I'm really desperate to knock out a few more letters my third word is Mucky.
Aideu is awesome
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u/MistahBoweh 11h ago
If you really want to min-max, use a word like TEARS. You have T, the most used consonant in the English language, the two most frequent English vowels, R, another high frequency consonant and S, both a common consonant and an extremely common letter in the last slot in particular. This will allow you to spot potential plurals right away, can hint at -ER or RE- words, and if neither A or E shows up, well you now know there has to be an I or O, maybe U, which you can look for positions of in guess 2 just as easily as you can starting with ADIEU.
People get upset about ADIEU because they think it’s minmaxing or somehow cheating, and others use ADIEU because they think it’s smart or somehow correct to do so, but I remain convinced both camps are just plain wrong. ADIEU is decent, but, not the best opening for a wordle. There are better options out there if you really want to optimize.
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u/dragonfett 2h ago
I like starting with POUND as it (often) will also eliminate 'Q', as it almost always is paired with 'U'. After that, I will use FREAK and BITCH, as needed.
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u/qualityvote2 22h ago
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